Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · E02004285

Westham South

Westham South is a Census neighbourhood of about 7,705 residents in Dorset. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

Area evidence brief for Dorset
7,705

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

3,529

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

4,560.8

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

63.0%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

26.1%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

23.7%

Adults with a degree or above

ONS Census 2021 · qualifications

Neighbourhoods most like this one

Closest matches elsewhere in England and Wales, across 14 Census themes. Similarity is statistical, not a recommendation, and says nothing about how anywhere feels to live in.

Ryde South, Isle of Wight8,573 residents · 57.8% owned · 26.4% no carNewbold, Chesterfield7,388 residents · 61.5% owned · 27.1% no carBrockhurst, Gosport6,247 residents · 64.1% owned · 22.8% no carMelksham South, Wiltshire7,603 residents · 64.5% owned · 19.5% no carFareham Fort, Fareham7,572 residents · 58.9% owned · 24.7% no carNew Milton West, New Forest6,144 residents · 58.7% owned · 17.7% no car

Most similar within Dorset

The closest matches in the same local authority.

Broadwey & Littlemoor, Dorset7,666 residents · 58.1% owned · 18.9% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in Westham South

People, households and homes at the stated Census geography. These describe the 2021 population, not the occupants of a particular home.

Tenure

Owned63%
2,224 households
Private rented18.9%
667 households
Social rented17%
599 households
Shared ownership1%
37 households
Lives rent free0.1%
2 households
Westham South · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

Terraced29.8%
1,051 households
Semi-detached28.2%
997 households
In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement21.5%
760 households
Detached12.9%
455 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits5.5%
193 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop1.3%
46 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse0.8%
27 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure0.1%
2 households
Westham South · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

1 car or van in household41.4%
1,461 households
No cars or vans in household26.1%
920 households
2 cars or vans in household24.2%
855 households
3 or more cars or vans in household8.4%
295 households
Westham South · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

3 bedrooms42.3%
1,492 households
2 bedrooms30.9%
1,091 households
1 bedroom15.9%
560 households
4 or more bedrooms11%
388 households
Westham South · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

Single family household57.6%
2,034 households
One-person household35.9%
1,268 households
Other household types6.5%
228 households
Westham South · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

1 person in household35.9%
1,268 households
2 people in household33.7%
1,189 households
3 people in household15.7%
554 households
4 people in household10.1%
356 households
5 people in household3.4%
121 households
6 people in household0.8%
29 households
7 people in household0.2%
7 households
8 or more people in household0.2%
6 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
Westham South · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 1514.2%
1,092 residents
15–2915.9%
1,221 residents
30–4418.1%
1,394 residents
45–6428.6%
2,201 residents
65 and over23.3%
1,795 residents
Westham South · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

White96.8%
7,456 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups1.7%
129 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh0.8%
64 residents
Other ethnic group0.6%
43 residents
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African0.2%
14 residents
Westham South · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

Level 4 qualifications or above23.7%
1,550 residents aged 16 and over
No qualifications19.1%
1,249 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications18.5%
1,212 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications15.5%
1,015 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications12.7%
829 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship7.5%
489 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications3%
196 residents aged 16 and over
Westham South · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically active (excluding full-time students)57.1%
3,738 residents aged 16 and over
Economically inactive41.2%
2,698 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student1.6%
105 residents aged 16 and over
Westham South · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations19.6%
1,285 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations16.3%
1,066 residents aged 16 and over
L13 Routine occupations14.1%
921 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations11.7%
764 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers11.3%
739 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed8%
523 residents aged 16 and over
L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations7.4%
484 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations7.3%
479 residents aged 16 and over
L15 Full-time students4.3%
279 residents aged 16 and over
Westham South · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Very good health40.4%
3,111 residents
Good health36.5%
2,816 residents
Fair health16.6%
1,278 residents
Bad health5.3%
409 residents
Very bad health1.2%
91 residents
Westham South · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act76.4%
5,888 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act23.6%
1,817 residents
Westham South · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is not deprived in any dimension42.4%
1,498 households
Household is deprived in one dimension34.8%
1,227 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions17.3%
609 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions5%
178 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions0.5%
18 households
Westham South · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Each percentage uses its Census table’s own total. Rounding and source categories can affect totals. ONS Census data · OGL v3.0.

How the similarity is worked out

Alike on the Census, which is not the same as alike to live in.

Every neighbourhood is described by its shares across the Census themes above — tenure, housing, cars, household make-up, age, ethnic group, qualifications, work, health and deprivation — each theme weighted equally, which is the approach ONS takes in its own Output Area Classification. The neighbourhoods listed are the closest on those numbers, published in full rather than folded into a score. Nothing here measures schools, crime, prices or what a place is like to be in, and a close match is a statistical fact rather than a suggestion to move.

Browse every neighbourhood in Dorset

Evidence ledger

Source and date are part of the record.

Shared catalogue checked 2026-08-28: 88 candidate data layers listed. Catalogue presence is not publication approval; only separately approved public projections may be shown.